Women for Climate Justice Leading Solutions on the Frontlines of Climate Change - COP27 Side Event

At this official UN Side Event, grassroots, frontline and Indigenous women leaders,

Women for Climate Justice Leading Solutions on the Frontlines of Climate Change - COP27 Side Event

At this official UN Side Event, grassroots, frontline and Indigenous women leaders, alongside representatives from international climate justice organizations, spoke out to address root causes of interlocking crises and the need for solutions based in a climate justice framework, including forest and biodiversity protection, Indigenous rights, agro-ecology, fossil fuel resistance, protection of women land defenders, and community-led solutions.

Speakers included:
--- Neema Namadamu, Democratic Republic of Congo Coordinator, Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN), Democratic Republic of Congo
-- Sônia Bone Guajajara (Guajajara), Indigenous Leader from Brazil, Federal Deputy of the National Congress of Brazil, Brazil
--- Casey Camp Horinek (Ponca Nation), Ponca Nation Environmental Ambassador and WECAN Board Member, USA
--- Anne Songole, Climate Justice Coordinator, The African Women’s Development and Communications Network (FEMNET), Kenya
--- Jessica Grefa, Indigenous youth leader from Santa Clara
--- Eriel Tchekwie Deranger (Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation), Executive Director of Indigenous Climate Action, Canada
--- Osprey Orielle Lake, Executive Director of Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN)

Transforming Global Economies for People, Planet, and a Just Transition! During this event, global women leaders spotlighted alternative economic models, solutions, and frameworks that are

Transforming Global Economies for People, Planet, and a Just Transition! During this event, global women leaders spotlighted alternative economic models, solutions, and frameworks that are predicated on community-led solutions, feminist economics, Indigenous knowledge, and ancient concepts of reciprocity with the Earth and all living beings. Topics include land rematriation and Land Back, care economy, post-growth, Buen Vivir, and much more. There are alternative economies to learn from and an emergence of socially just, place-based, caring economic and ecologically enhancing models that are structuring a path forward for people and planet.
Speakers included: Monique Verdin (Houma Nation), WECAN Food Sovereignty Program Coordinator in the Gulf South, Turtle Island, USA; Nati Greene, Global Coordinator and Co-founder of the Global Alliance for Rights of Nature, Ecuador; Rhiana Gunn-Wright, Climate Policy Program Director, Roosevelt Institute, Turtle Island/USA; Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Co-President of The Club of Rome, Belgium; Margaret Kwateng, Campaign Lead National Organizer, Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, Turtle Island/USA; moderation and comments by Osprey Orielle Lake, Executive Director, WECAN.

As humanity faces escalating climate and ecological crises, we seek to articulate a vision toward a new legal framework and economy based on living in balance with Earth’s natural systems;

As humanity faces escalating climate and ecological crises, we seek to articulate a vision toward a new legal framework and economy based on living in balance with Earth’s natural systems; where the rights of humans do not extend to the domination of nature. The Rights of Nature, one of the fastest growing global environmental movements in history, offers a systemic framework for change.

During the press conference, we heard from Rights of Nature advocates on how this framework can protect biodiverse ecosystems, Indigenous sovereignty, and human rights.

Press conference speakers included:
— Casey Camp Horinek (Ponca Nation), Ponca Nation Environmental Ambassador and WECAN Board Member and Movement Rights Board Member
— Osprey Orielle Lake, Executive Director of Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN)
— Nnimmo Bassey, Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation, an ecological think tank; Steering Committee Member of Oilwatch International, Nigeria

At the press conference we also released a White Paper on the Legal Rights of Nature Framework co-authored by WECAN, Movement Rights, and the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature - GARN. Read the report here: https://www.wecaninternational.org/ron-report

On November 14, WECAN organized a COP29 press conference with esteemed speakers from Brazil to share calls to action and advocacy efforts to protect Indigenous rights, forests, water, communities,

On November 14, WECAN organized a COP29 press conference with esteemed speakers from Brazil to share calls to action and advocacy efforts to protect Indigenous rights, forests, water, communities, and the global climate on the path to COP30.

With COP30 slated to be held in Belém, Brazil it is vital to hear from the Indigenous women who are mobilizing to protect Indigenous rights and biodiversity in the Amazon and connected biomes.

Speakers included: Puyr Tembé, First Secretary of State for Indigenous Peoples of Pará in the Brazilian Amazon, and co-founder of Ancestral Indigenous Women Warriors (ANMIGA), Brazil; Concita Sõpré, Co-founder, National Association of Indigenous Women's Warriors of Ancestry (ANMIGA), and President of the Federation of Indigenous Peoples of the State of Pará (FEPIPA), Brazilian Amazon; Lucimara Patté, Co-founder of the National Association of Indigenous Women's Warriors of Ancestry (ANMIGA), from the Atlantic Forest biome in Brazil; with moderation by Osprey Orielle Lake, Founder and Executive Director of Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN), United States.